In the field of the graphic art, a system for forming a superhard photographic image having an image portion clearly distinguished from a non-image portion is required in order to obtain a good dot image, character and line image.
The formation of the superhard photographic image has been carried out by using a specific developing solution called "lith" developing solution over a long period of time. In the system using this "lith" developing solution, it is essential to maintain a concentration of a free sulfite ion in a developing solution at very low level in.order to allow the performance thereof to be revealed. Since sulfite ion acts as a preservative, the problem is involved that the "lith" developing solution lacks for a stability and has a keen aging deterioration.
An alternative process for processing a surface latent image type silver halide light-sensitive material containing a hydrazine compound which is developed in a superadditive type developing solution having Ph 11.0 to 12.3 and containing a sulfite preservative in a high concentration, is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,742. Said process forms a superhard photographic image with a stable developing solution.
The process made it possible to improve in a stability of a developing solution with the sulfite preservative of a high concentration, but a developing solution having a relatively high Ph value has to be used in order to obtain the superhard photographic image and that makes the developing solution liable to be subjected to air oxidation. Accordingly, there has been tried a device for realizing a superhard photographic image-forming system utilizing a nucleus-forming development with a hydrazine compound in a developing solution of lower Ph.
A process, where an amino compound promoting a hardening action of a hydrazine compound is added to a developing solution, is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,929 (JP-A-61-267759 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an unexamined published Japanese patent application)) as a process for obtaining a hard image with a developing solution of a lower Ph value.
The processes using various hydrazine compounds having a high hardening action are also proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,452 (JP-A-60-179734), U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,104,769, and 4,798,780.
There is proposed in JP-A-l-179939 and JP-A-1-179940, a process where a nucleus-forming accelerator having an adsorption group to silver halide is used in combination with a hydrazine compound having an adsorptio group.
Further, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,998,604 and 4,994,365, the processes using a hydrazine compound having a repeating unit of ethylene oxide and a hydrazine compound having a pyridinium group in combination, are proposed.
However, various processes described above have a problem that a black pepper is liable to be induced. The black pepper (called as well pepper fog) used herein is a black spot generated at a portion which is a non-developed portion between the dots. It is liable to generate when a light-sensitive material is stored under a high temperature and a high humidity or when a fatigued developing solution is used. The black pepper is a trouble by which a commercial value is seriously lowered.
On the other hand, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,591, a developing solution using three kinds of developing agents which comprise dihydroxybenzenes, 3-pyrazolidones and ascorbic acid or the derivative thereof are disclosed in combination. However, it is not taught in this publication to process a silver halide light-sensitive material containing a hydrazine compound in the developing solution. Further, a developing solution containing ascorbic acid in a high proportion, which is used in the examples thereof, inhibits a nucleus-forming development using the hydrazine compound.